Planetary gear



0. R. WIKANDER.

PLANETARY GEAR.

APPLICATloN FILED MAY 5, 1918.

0. R.WIKANDER.

PLANETARY GEAR.

APPLlcATxoN FILED MAY 6,1918.

1,425,430, Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

n 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR OSCAR RAGNAR WIKAN DER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDV MESN E ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SKAYEF BALL BEARING COMPANY, OF HART- FORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

PLANETARY GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. s, i922.

Application med may s, 191s. serial No. 232,768.

T o all whom t may concern Be it known that I, OSCAR. RAGNAR WIKANDER, citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement 1n Planetary Gears, of which the following` is a specification.

The object of my invention is to equalize the load which is transmitted from the sun or central gear of a planetary gear system, through the planet gears, to the internal gear or to the cage carrying said planet gears, so that an equal amount of torque will betransmitted through each planet gear.

A further object ofmy invention is to create an elastic connection between the high and low speed shafts of said gearing so as to prevent the transmission of shocks from one' shaft to another.

My object is further to provide a double reduction planetary gearing in which the axial shaft portions may be supported with a single fixed bearing, the gearing itself centralizing the axial portions in such manner that fixed shaft bearings may be largely eliminated.

My object is further to support the sun or central gear in axial position within the housin or case through planet gears carrying roer bearing portions rolling in contact with roller bearing po-rtions upon the sun gear and the internal gear or housing.

My invention also consists of improve ments hereinafter described whereby the above objects and results are attained, said improvements comprising certain organization and combination of parts which are fully described hereinafter and more particularly defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is .a vertical sectiontaken along the axis of the improved gearing; Fig. 2 is a vertical section across said axis, taken along the line A-A of Fig. 1; andFig. 3 is a sectional view along the axis of double reduction planetary gearing embodying my invention.

1 is the casing or housing of-the apparatus, which carries the stationary internal gear 2 and the internal stationary clrcular races 3. The planet gears 4 are provided with'cylindrical rims 5 which roll on the internal stationary races 3. The planet gears 4 are mounted and revolve on hollow shafts 6, which'are carried by means of fiexible bushings 7 from the solid shafts 8 of the planet cage 9. Pins l0 secured to the solid shafts may be employed to prevent the hollow shafts` 6 from revolving in relation vto the solid shafts 8 of the planet cage 9.

The flexible bushings 7 comprise a spring tube 7a annularly disposed about the solid shaft 8 and interposed between inner and outer annularly arranged corrugated sheet metal spring tubes 7b and 7C, the crests of the corrugations resting against the spring tube and likewise upon the surfaces of the shaft 8 and hollow shaftl 6 as shown; said flexible bushings vforming subject matter of a separate application Ser. No. 233,695 filed' May 10th, 1918. y

The solid shafts 8 are secured to the planet cage 9, which in turn is rigidly connected to the low speed shaft 11, which may be supported by a suitable4 bearing 12 in the casing l.

The sun or central gear 13 meshes with the several planet gears 4 and is provided at each end with cylindrical rims 14 which roll on the circular rims 5 on each end of the planet gears, and whereby 13' is axially supported. The high speed shaft 15 of the sun gear 13 extends axially outside of the gear case through 'a stuffing box 16 of -any suitable construction capable of permitting adjustment without escape of oil. v

If torque is transmitted from the high speed to the low speed shaft, or vice versa, the flexible bushings 7 will be subjected to a certain amount of compression on the side where the torque is transmitted. If the gear is symmetrically built all the bushings 7 will be subjected .tothe same amount of compression and will transmit equal parts of the total torque.

In order to compensate for the centrifugal forces, which at high speeds will press the planets 4 against' the stationary races 3 with considerable power, it may be found advisable to compress the flexible bushings 7 towarel'the center ofthe gearing, thereby forcing the planets 4 against the sun gear 12, and this is accomplished by positioning the solid shafts '8 slightly nearer to the axis apart of the axial centers of the and 13.

the sun gear Keys 17 'preventthe Vfnterna'l gear 2 and the stationary races 3 from moving circumferentially in relationtg ythe casing 4`1.

Fi". 3 shpws the invention asespecially applled to a double reduction lanetary ,V gear and in this, the parts of the hlgh speed reduction gear have the same designatingl gear 18 is 4provided at each end with cylindrical rims 19 which roll on the annular rims 20 of the planet gears 21, and whereby the sun gear 18 is axiall supported. The

circular rims 20 of the p anet gears 21 roll on and are supported by the internal circular stationar 'races 22, which are mounted, together wit the stationary internal gear 23, in the casing 1.

Theplanet gears 21 are mounted andrevolve on hollow-shafts 24, which are carried b means of liexible bushings 25 from the so id shafts '26 of the' planet cage 27, as in the case of the high s eed reduction gear previously described. y ins 28 prevent the hollow shafts 24 from revolving in relatio'n tothe solid shafts 26 of the planet cage 27. The flexible bushings 25 are of the V same design and construction as the bushings 7 previouslydescribed.

The solid shafts 26 are secured tothe planet cage 27Which is rigidl connected to the low 'speed shaft 29 pre erably supported by la bearing'30in the casing or housing 1.

If torque is transmitted from the high speed shaft 15. to .the low speed shaft 29, or vice versa, the iexible bushings 25 will equalize the forces transmitted through the planet gears 21 in the same Way as the bushings 7 equally divide the torque transmitted through the single reduction gear shown in Figs. l and 2 or through the high speed reduction gear in Fig. 3. v

The above described constructions repre sent'the preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is evident that other suitable means may be used to guide the planet gears in their, orbit, .without departing from` 'the spirit of' my invention.

yItwill be observed that the axial portions of the sun gearsl' and 18 and their shafts are unsupported by fixed shaft' bearings;

` 4and moreoverthere are nojournal bearings betweenthe speed reducing sections of the double reduction gear thereby enablingthe system to be very closely coupled. This construction not only saves valuable space f and gives increased strength, but also perassenso By the employment of the Hexible bush'- ings 7 and 25 in the combination of parts herein set out, a smooth running. and evenly operating rearing is secured, which eliminates the o jectionable and injurious transmission of shocks from one shaft to another and from the driving to the driven portions, 0r` vice versa. Moreover, the method of supporting the gears and maintaining them in operative relation herein described as embodied in my improved gearing insures uniform torque distribution and maximum transmission with a minimum Weight of gear and wear.

It will now be apparent that I have de vised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as. desirable, and while I have in Ithe present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof, which hasse been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the details, as the same are susceptible of modification in various particulars Without departing 90 fromy the spirit or scope of the invention. l

Having now described In invention, what I claim as `new and deslre lto secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. Planetary gearing, comprising the following parts in combination, a statlonaryinternal gear, a plurality of planet gears meshing with said internal gear equally spaced apart with a maximum angularity not ex' ceeding 1,20", 'a sun-gear meshing with the 100 planet gears, a high speed shaft rigidly connected tothe sun-gear and yieldingly supported so as to be capable of radial adustment when rotating, a low speed shaft connected to and driven by the planet gears, -1'05 flexible operating means for each of the planet gears and for transmitting direct and radial forces equally between the individual planet gears and low speed shaft, said means permitting the plurality of planet gears to 110 relatively shift their axial positions in a circumferential direction to cause each of the planet` gears to automatically maintain equal meshing relation with the internal gear and the sun-gear, whereby the working -115 pressures between the teeth of the planet gears and the stationary internal gear and fthe sun-gear insure transmission of the f fpoWerfrom the sun-gear to the low speed shaft through the several planet gears with 120 equal eiiiciency.-

2. Planetary gearing, comprising the followlng parts in combination, a stationary internal gear with stationary circular races, planet gears in excess of two meshing with said internal gear and carrying cylindrical rims rolling on the said stationary races', -a Hoating sun gear meshing with all of the planet gears andl carrying cylindrical rims rolling on' the rims of the planets and there- 130 by centralized and guided, al high speed shaft connected to the sun gear, a low speed shaft Connected to the planet gears, and iiexible means for transmitting torque and radial forces between the individualplanet gears and the-lowspeed shaft, said means permitting the plurality of planetary gears to relatively shift their-axial positions to cause each of the planets to mesh with the internal gear and the sun gear to equalize all of the ,working pressures between the gears and eiiiciently cause their combined action to transmit the power from the sun gear to the low speed shaft equallythrough the several planet gears. .y

3. Planetary gearing, comprising the following parts in combination, a stationary internal gear with stationary circular races, plurality of planet gears meshing with the said internal gear and carrying cylindrical rims rolling on the stationary races, a floating sun gear meshing with all of the planet g gears and carrying cylindrical rims rolling they are held. inradial vto' each other, the Alanet vgears acting as 'ing a on the rims of the planets and thereby centralized, a high speed shaft connected to the sun gear, a low speed shaft, a cage secured` to the low speed. shaft and provided'wi'th pins for the planets, and flexible bushings for transmitting torque and radial forces between the individual planet' gears and the respective. pins ofsaid cage 'whereby'all of the planet gears equalize their driving power between the stationary gear and the sun gear.

4. Planetary gearing, comprising the followingO parts-in combinatiom-a casing havcaring at one end, a low speed shaft journaled in the bearing, a cage within the casing carried by the low v'speed shaft and provided with short shafts for supporting planet gears, an internal gear secured to the casing and surrounding the' cage, planet gearsv each axially journaled with respect to the short shaftsof the-cage and meshing with said internal gear, a floating sun gear, meshin with the several planet gearsin the s'amep ane with the internal gear, a high speed shaft'coniiectedfwith the sun gear and extending loosel through'"the" casing, and guiding 'means etWeen the sun gear, the planet gears and the internal gearwhereby positions relatively roller bearings forl t e'suii gear and the sun gear centralized 'thereby in being axially iournaled with 'respect-to the internal gear.

5. In vdouble reduction gearing, the combi- 'nation of two sets of planetary gearing, each' set comprising a stationary internal gear, planet gears meshing with said internal gear, a su n gear, the said stationary internal gear having vstationary circular raCS, the said planet gears meshing with said internal gear and carrying cylindrical rims rolling in contact with the stationary circular races, a sun gear meshing with the planet gears and carrying cylindrical rims rolling on lthe rims of the planet gear, a 'relatively low speed shaft connected with the'planet gears of the second reduction gear and journaledv planet gears carried by the cage and meshing with said internal gear, and a stationary housing, rigidly supporting both internal gears,` a sun gear meshing with the planet gears, the planet cage of the high speed planetary ygearing being to and wholly supporting the sun gearv of the low speed planetary gearing, whereby the two sets of planetary gearing may be closely coupled without the 'intervention of bearings. 7. Double reduction. gearing, comprising :a casing and two sets of lanetary gearing therein in combination t erewith, the sun gear and planet ars of each set having circular rims which roll in Contact with the stationary internal-gear also having circular races against which the planet rims run, the. construction being such that both the planet and sun gears arev supported wholly by the internal gear races and the sun gear in turn axially supportedby theplanet gears, and in which further the planet gears and their cage of one set are closelycoupled to the sun gear ofthe other set, whereby internal bearings on the casing for supporting the coupling between the planet and sun gears are directly connected vavoided.

8: Double reduction gearing, comprising a casin and two `sets of planetary caring therein coupled inseries and each set aving al sun gear, planet gearsmeshing therewith,

and a -s ationary internal gear with which each set supported flexibly with respect to i each other whereby they may automatically/Q. j v adjust themselves in actionto' transmit uniform torque, and in which the planetl gears f5 the planet gearsv mesh, the'planetgears of o foneset are closely-coupled with the sun gear 'of theother Aset and said parts supported directly by the gearing members andi.' independent of the casingfand whereby-saidl planet and sun gears are alsoiiexibly-connected so that they may adapt themselves to their respective'gear sets without interference with each other.

In testimony of whichl invention, I he'reunto set -my hand. Y

oscAR RAGNAR wiKANDEii',

Tis 

